FAITH CAPSULE: Forgiveness can also come with condition.
Luke 7:36-50
The bible recorded conditions that provoke forgiveness of God for man. Among conditions for forgiveness are confessing, repenting, faith and loving.
Confession provokes forgiveness: When we made confession God reacts with forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 recorded, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The book of Psalm 32:5 also testified that confession is way of receiving forgiveness in the hand of God stating, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5)
Repentance provokes forgiveness:
Repentance must come from depth of heart. To be repentant and not to go back to the ground of sin is making a choice not to be held down by sin but to be forgiven. Repentance of sin, wickedness that provokes forgiveness states in, Acts 5:31, “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 8:22, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”
Having Faith provokes forgiveness:
God alone sees faith that is genuine rooted in the heart and in act. When faith is demonstrated in the sight of God forgiveness is provoked to deliver the hand of God. The healing of the story of the roof tearing faith by a paralyzed man was the result of his forgiveness. It is written, “Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” (Luke 5:18-20) Jesus saw his faith, Jesus forgave him his sins and he was healed.
Love provokes forgiveness:
The sinful woman was forgiven by Jesus. With love, she approached Jesus with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil; she wept; she washed His feet with her tears; she wiped them with the hair of her head; she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. She loved the Lord but she was the sinful woman of the city. Forgiveness of the woman by Jesus provoked question by the people. Jesus talked to Simon, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:47-48. Jesus’ talk with Simon confirmed that love provokes forgiveness. Let us have a heart of receiving forgiveness from God.
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to be a victim of unforgiving.